Split
by Alis Grave Nil
Summary: Skipper's enemies pair up for revenge. The team is split in half. Will they be able to function without the team? Rico/Kowalski. Rating may change.
1. Paranoid

A/N: Wow, it's been a while hasn't it? -nervous laugh- Sorry guys. But look, I'm back =D Anyways, unfortunately, I will not be continuing 'Como Va?' because... well, I've forgotten where I was going with it. I will, however, be leaving it up, just in case I'm ever inspired again. ^^ However, to make it up to you guys, here's a new story! It's Rico/Kowalski, 'cause they're my boys, but it's not the only thing going on. xD

**Split**

**Chapter 1: Paranoid  
**

The zoo was disturbingly quiet. It made Skipper's feathers stand up on end, sure that something was coming. Kowalski, Rico, and Private sat back, watching as their leader paced back and forth. It was making the rest of them a little antsy.

"Skipper, don't you think you should sit down for a bit?" Kowalski suggested.

"No," Skipper responded firmly. "Something's in the air..."

Private frowned, standing up and moving to pat Skipper on the back. "I think you just need a break, Skippa. It's probably just quiet 'cause Julien decided to sleep in." Skipper peered around at the others and sighed, supposing that perhaps just this once he _was_ being a little too paranoid.

"Alright boys, I'll cool it down."

Private grinned and nodded. "What you need is a good game of volleyball!"

"Vo'yball!" Rico grunted in agreement, regurgitating an already inflated beach ball.

Skipper chuckled. "Alright then. Let's play."

* * *

"So those pengu-ins just sent you to that disease-ridden cesspool? Really?"

"Yes, that is right."

"Oh, you poor thing. And after the dames kicked you out too!"

"Yes, it was tragic."

"I'll tell you what... How would you like to help me get revenge on those pengu-ins? And in return, you get to keep their secret base."

"I think... That sounds like a wonderful plan."

"Shake on it."

"Oh, right, of course... You know, your skin is surprisingly pleasant to the touch."

"Moisturizer. How about you whip up some of those pastries?"

* * *

The penguins were quick to set a net up topside, dividing into their usual teams. Kowalski glanced to the side and fought back a smile as he saw Rico crouched and ready, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He was eager to play as always. The hefty penguin had a spike unmatched by anyone. He was always glad to be on Rico's team, and Skipper liked the challenge of being against him. Private was always happy to be on the same side as his idol. Every now and again they'd switch the teams up, but for the most part, they were content with their pairs.

"Ready... Go!"

Skipper served the ball and the game began. Soon the air was filled with cries of victory and the occasional 'hyah!' as they saved the ball from hitting the concrete.

"Private!"

"I got it, Skippa!"

Private dove for the ball, cringing when he hit the ground and the ball bounced only centimeters in front of them. "Oh... darn it!"

Skipper raised an eyebrow as he caught the bouncing beach ball. "Private!"

Private blushed and sat up. "Sorry for the potty-mouth Skippa. Just got a little competitive I suppose."

Skipper smirked. "Well, you better take a break." He patted private on the head and he nodded. "Kowalski, Rico, keep an eye on things, Private and I are going to go visit Marlene."

"Aye-aye, Skipper." Kowalski and Rico both saluted, and the taller penguin caught the beach ball as it was thrown his way. He turned to Rico, holding up his flipper. "They're just leaving 'cause we won."

Rico chuckled maniacally, high-fiving his taller teammate. They waddled to the edge of the concrete platform sitting down and kicking their feet like a pair of children. He loved days like these, where it was warm and clear, enough that he didn't miss the time he could be using to work on his experiments instead. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath of air and soaking up the sun. "This is the life, eh Rico?"

"Yup."

He snorted a soft laugh at the scarred penguin's simple answer, despite having expected nothing more. He was enjoying the sun when suddenly a shadow was blocking it from him. "Hey," he frowned, turning to face the person, only to feel a sharp pain in the side of his head, followed by black.

"K'wal-"

* * *

Private had a skip in his step as he and Skipper headed back to the HQ. Today had started out bad, but the result delighted him. Glancing to the side, he saw Skipper walking with a little smile on his face. It was rare to see the leader so at ease, his earlier fears put to rest with the quiet day. They'd even investigated the lemur habitat to see what the source of silence had been, discovering that Julien had decided that today he was going to sleep the day away, basking in his kingly luxuries.

Private had never seen Skipper so delighted. He was going over the things they could get done with the Lemur King out of the way. "We can do some maintenance at HQ, and have some of those love smoothies."

"Sounds like a great idea, Skippa," was Private's chipper response. He climbed to the little edge where the bars of their habitat were, diving into the water and popping out again at the concrete center. He was surprised to find that Rico and Kowalski were there... Well, they were probably inside. He and Skipper slid down the ladder to the entrance, peering around. When they didn't see them, Skipper tensed up in alarm.

"Men, front and center!" he called. Nothing. The paranoia that had been washed away came rushing back and he narrowed his eyes. "Private, topside, now, gather the other animals and start a search."

"Yes sir," Private responded immediately. He didn't know what had happened, but suddenly he was beginning to feel that perhaps Skipper was right. He was about to climb back up the ladder when their TV clicked on, revealing the face of a dolphin with one glowing, mechanical red eye.

"Hello Skipper."

"Dr. Blowhole!" Skipper snarled, his mind making the link. "What have you done with my men?"

Dr. Blowhole smiled coolly, tapping his bottle-nosed chin. "Oh, you don't have to worry about them, Skipper. They're still alive. For now, at least."

Private felt fear grip at his heart. "Wh-what do you want?"

"Oh... nothing." The dolphin chuckled softly. "Except revenge." He focused his gaze on Skipper alone. "You pride yourself so much in your team, Skipper... let's see how well you function when you're missing pieces of it."

Skipper clenched his flippers, actually trembling with rage. "If you lay one flipper on them-"

The TV clicked off. Private watched silently as Skipper grabbed the remote, hurling it at the TV and causing it to shatter. "Blowhole! Get back here you coward!" He moved to the leader, twiddling his flippers uncertainly.

"S-Skippa..."

There was a pause before Skipper took a deep breath, turning to face the youngest penguin. "We'll get them, Private. If it's the last thing we do."


	2. Planning

A/N: I just wanted to give you readers a little note. For those of you that haven't seen the un-aired episodes of Penguins of Madagascar (this fic will reference them), I will post a link to see them on my profile. ^^ They're seriously fantastic. xD Watch 'em.

**Split**

**Chapter 2: Planning  
**

He was being smothered by the black, a sharp ache in his head making every thought slow and painful. His eyelids were almost too heavy to move, but slowly he managed to open them, blurs of shapes settling into place until he had a clear image. Rico stood above him, looking down at him with what looked like worry.

"Nn... Rico?" Kowalski asked, pushing himself up as the hefty penguin scooted backward to give him room. "What...?" There were metal bars all around them. He grimaced distastefully as he realized that they were in a cage, though it was notably bigger than the ones they were put in at the zoo when they had to be taken to the doctor. His head throbbed again and he groaned, curling into himself and pressing a flipper to the most pained area, his temple.

It was cool and damp. When he lowered his flipper again, there was a thin layer of still drying blood. No wonder his thoughts were muddled, but the fact that it was cool told him that he at least wasn't bleeding anymore. Rico grunted again, spitting up a rag and using it to dab away the blood. Kowalski cringe, the explosive expert's touch just a little too rough, but when Rico realized this, it turned a little gentler. Kowalski tried not to think about how that rag had been in Rico's stomach, knowing there wasn't much choice now.

"What happened?"

"Hans."

Hans? Seconds later, it clicked in Kowalski's head. Hans. The crazy puffin that had been the reason Skipper couldn't go to Denmark. They still didn't know why, but they knew that Hans wanted revenge. The cage seemed very crude, though. Surely he was better than this to be any match against Skipper? "Why haven't you blown this thing open, Rico?" he asked.

The weapons expert pointed outside. Confused, Kowalski followed the flipper to a giant magnet which now had all of Rico's weapons attached to it. He only knew one animal that did that. His gaze snapped back to the other penguin, though he regretted it a second later, the sudden movement making him dizzy. "But-... That's..."

"Very good, Kowalski."

Both penguins looked up at the sound of the voice, tensing up as Blowhole neared the cage, a lobster at his tail with a bucket of fish. Kowalski forced himself to stand up, ignoring the growl he heard from Rico in favor of figuring out what exactly was going on. "What do you plan on accomplishing?"

"Oh, you know, the end of the world as the humans know it," Blowhole responded lightly. "And... both me and my new BFF would like to watch Skipper fall."

As if they'd rehearsed it (and Kowalski wouldn't be surprised if they had) Hans came sweeping in from above, landing in front of the cage at the perfect time. "Hello penguins,"

Kowalski gripped the bars of the cage, glaring at the pair. "You really think this is a good idea, Blowhole? Remember the last BFF you had?" he asked, mostly just taunting. He knew that Hans really did want to hurt Skipper, unlike Julien.

"Don't play games with me, Kowalski," Blowhole snorted. "I know what happened in Denmark." Kowalski tried not to be too annoyed at that. He, Rico, and Private still theorized about the possibilities and here Hans had just up and told Blowhole, but it was nothing to put too much thought into. At least, not in this situation. "And when you sent him to Hoboken. Hans wants revenge, just as much as I do."

"It is true," Hans agreed lightly, stepping closer to the cage. As he did, Rico suddenly placed himself between Kowalski and the puffin, startling the intellectual. Rico growled, sounding more like a rabid wolf than a penguin and causing Hans to back off. He raised an eyebrow and smirked, "My, protective, aren't we?"

Kowalski rested a flipper on Rico's shoulder to calm him down, though it was shrugged off again. He didn't know what to think. He shook himself out of it though, focusing on the enemies before them before they could say anything else. "You really think this is smart? Bringing us to your lair? We've taken you both down before."

"Ahh, but as a team," Blowhole pointed out. He paused, turning to the lobster next to him and chirping in order to get a fish. Everyone waited patiently, though Kowalski rolled his eyes. No matter how angry he was at the humans, Blowhole was still fixed in the ways of his raising. Once the dolphin focused back on his captors, Hans stopped shining his beak and Rico stopped trying to gnaw -- if it could really be called that, seeing as he didn't have teeth -- through the bars of their prison. "You Pengu-ins all pride yourself in your teamwork," Blowhole continued, "But you couldn't function without one another. We'll see how Skipper fairs."

Kowalski narrowed his eyes. He didn't say anything more. He didn't want to give Blowhole any reason to separate him and Rico when they had a chance to get out. Taking the lack of response as a victory, Blowhole and Hans laughed.

"Do we get to hear your plan now?" Kowalski asked flatly.

"No," Hans responded simply.

"However, you may hear the name of our plan," Blowhole added, pressing a button on his segway.

"_EVIL ALLIANCE!_"

Kowalski shuddered as the entire lair rumbled with the surround sound. He could already tell that Blowhole had updated.

"10,000 watt speakers," Blowhole explained lightly.

Kowalski hit his head on the nearest bar, which he immediately regretted, a shock shooting over the rest of his injured head and even down his neck. He groaned in pain as he heard Blowhole and Hans laugh, turning to make their exit. He stepped away, almost stumbling backwards until he was caught by Rico. The hefty penguin carefully lowered him to sit. "Thank you, Rico," Kowalski mumbled.

"Yup."

Kowalski almost laughed at the other penguin's short, simple speech, but couldn't find it in him. There was nothing funny about the situation. He rubbed his eyes slowly as Rico patted his back. "I suppose... the first thing we have to do is come up with a plan."

* * *

Several animals had gathered at the Zoovenir shop on Skipper's order, save for the lemurs who often showed up on their own time... or rather, Julien's time. They were used to Skipper's craziness, unaffected by his constant pacing back and forth. What worried them was Private, who sat off to the side, looking as if he were about to cry.

Finally, Marlene had had enough. "Skipper, what's this about?"

Skipper faced the others, narrowing his eyes. "Dr. Blowhole."

There were several groans and the animals all shifted to start filing out. Skipper clenched his jaw, grabbing a bouncy-ball from one of the sales boxes and launching it. He hit Burt the elephant, who was only half-way in the building, in the foot, causing him to slip and land heavily on the ground, blocking everyone from the door. "Listen up!" Skipper snapped, making everyone jump and face him again.

Skipper hadn't used his 'drill sergeant' voice in a long time, but the sharp, demanding tone was enough to gain their attention. "I damn well don't care _what_ you guys believe! But here's the facts: Dr. Blowhole and Hans have teamed up, and we need to take them down!"

Marlene shook out her shock, facing him and placing her paws on her hips. "Why don't you and your team handle it, Skipper? Since you're so good at it."

Skipper's flippers curled into fists and he looked away. Private stepped forward, a deep frown on his face. "They have Rico and K'walski."

There was a brief silence across the Zoovenir shop. Hesitantly, Mason spoke up. "Seriously?"

Skipper collected himself once again, speaking calmly. "Yes. Seriously. That's why we need your help."

Marlene wasn't sure if it was true, or not, but the possibility of their friends being in danger was reason enough for her to give Skipper the benefit of the doubt. She took a deep breath, approaching Skipper and Private and speaking lowly to them, so that only they would hear. "If this is some stupid game you guys are playing, I will _kill_ you two."

"Doubtful," Skipper answered calmly. "But it's not a game."

Marlene nodded, stepping back again. "So... what do we do?"

If Private didn't know better, he'd think that Skipper actually smiled, glad to have her support. "Here's the plan..."


	3. Protective

A/N: I was re-watching some episodes of the Penguins to get my writing going and I happened to watch 'The Falcon and the Snow Job'. Please tell me I'm not the only one that saw Rico flirting with Kowalski while Skipper was flirting with Kitka. xDD

**Split**

**Chapter 3: Protective  
**

Kowalski rubbed his sore head as he came to yet another dead end in his planning. He was still disoriented and his head pounded in protest to his constant calculations of moves and outcomes. He had a concussion. He was almost sure of it, but he didn't tell Rico, not wanting the weapons expert to worry. Besides they had more important issues right now. Skipper would already be planning to break them out now, but judging by the smugness that their adversaries held, he'd guessed that they had something in store for him and Private the moment they arrived. It would be better if he and Rico got out now and saved everyone the trouble.

"Rico, do you still have that can of compressed air in your stomach?"

"Uh-huh."

Kowalski brightened at the thought, glancing over at his scarred teammate. He smirked. "I may have a way out of this." Rico grinned with delight, moving to spit up the compressed air, but Kowalski closed a flipper around his beak to stop him. "Not yet..." The intellectual's eyes fell on the hallway Blowhole and Hans had disappeared down. "Soon... They might be waiting for us now."

Rico groaned, plopping down to sit once again. Kowalski knew he hated waiting, but in this case it might be necessary. He moved to the bars of the cage again, curling his flippers around them and peering out. As far as he could see, there was nothing out there to help them. He stuck his head out a little bit, as much as he could, to look at the lock on the cage. It was a simple dead-bolt. At the very least that would help. Pulling his head back in, Kowalski closed his eyes, trying to push away the roaring headache he had.

Rico frowned as he saw Kowalski sit down, cradling his head in his flippers. The weapons expert stood and waddled closer. "Head?"

Kowalski looked up and smiled weakly. "Yeah. Still hurts. And it's a little sensitive right now." He raised an eyebrow as Rico spit something up, not knowing what it was until he felt something cold pressed to his temple, almost causing him to jump. "An ice pack?" he asked, blinking in confusion. "Rico, how did- how long as that been in there?"

Rico shrugged.

"How did it stay frozen?"

Another shrug.

"... You make a mockery of science, y'know." Kowalski closed his eyes again, the ice pack helping to numb away some of the pain. "But thank you." Rico smiled, simply nodding in response, despite the fact that the intellectual wasn't looking at him.

"It is so sweet, the way you two carry on."

Kowalski's eyes snapped open and his head whipped around to face the sarcastic speaker, an action he regretted almost immediately for the sharp pain it caused. He narrowed his eyes at Hans, pulling himself to his feet again. He refused to show weakness. Why was he back already? "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, you know Kowalski..." Hans approached the cage and once again, Rico made sure the situate himself between them. "Rico is so protective of you, isn't he?"

Kowalski narrowed his eyes, wondering what the puffin was getting at. "Of course, we're a team."

Hans raised an eyebrow. "He was not so protective when it came to your leader-" he was cut off as Rico growled and reached through the bars, grabbing the puffin by the feather's on his chest and yanking painfully. Hans yelped before kicking off Rico's flipper, stepping back to make sure it wouldn't happen again. He glared at Rico, smoothing out his feathers before fixing his eyes on Kowalski once more. "You see, penguin? I think your 'teammate' here is hiding something from you."

Kowalski shook off the surprise he'd felt, watching Rico's sudden attack, and placed a hand on Rico's shoulder, lightly prompting him back. "I think you are just trying to cause trouble."

"You keep telling yourself that, Kowalski." Hans smirked, gaze flickering between the two. "But before you do, just watch your manic friend there," He turned to walk away, completely casual.

Kowalski glanced at Rico, startled by the murderous look in Rico's eyes, focused on Hans. It had been Hans last time too, not Dr. Blowhole. What had Hans done that Blowhole hadn't? ... Aside from being the one to injure the strategist...

* * *

"Private, give me an update."

Private was right at Skipper's ankles, following him as he walked around the zoo. "Marlene and the chimps are ready to go, Skippa."

"What about the poison dart frog?" Skipper asked. He was uneasy to use the little bastard, but Barry had been much friendlier since Private stopped him.

"He gave me some trouble at first, but I talked him into coming," the smallest penguin responded, a little grin spreading over his beak.

Skipper glanced over his shoulder, smirking as he saw the smile on Private's face. Despite the situation, he couldn't help being proud. Private could be a devious little thing when he set his mind to it. "Alright, then we should be ready to-"

"You! Bossy penguin!" Julien jumped down in front of the penguins, crossing his arms over his chest to glare down at them. Behind him, Maurice and Mort followed, as always. "What do you think you are doing?"

Skipper narrowed his eyes, not wanting to deal with this right now. "I'm saving my boys. Now move out of the way, ringtail."

"No." Julien's paws moved to his hips and he leaned down to Skipper's height, poking him in the chest. "I am your BFF, remember? You can not be going on this super-spy mission without me!"

Skipper blinked, surprised. After not receiving any credit last time, he had thought that Julien would be done with this kind of thing. Why would he go out of his way now? "We've already got a plan, ringtail."

"Well then put me in your plan! Take out the adorable poison tyrant and replace him with me!" Julien struck a pose that really looked somewhat awkward, a huge grin playing across his face. "An even more adorable, not-poison tyrant... Uh, I mean king."

Private leaned toward Skipper, speaking lowly. "Skippa, Julien did help us last time. He did very good, remember? And Barry still doesn't really want to. He could cause trouble."

Skipper narrowed his eyes, considering the options. Finally, "Fine, ringtail. You're in."

Julien jumped happily, a wide grin spreading over his face. "Perfect! Maurice, pack me a suitcase."

Skipper smacked his forehead. "No! No suitcase!"


	4. Alone

A/N: Hey everyone~ Check out my youtube and my new DeviantArt account! Links are posted on my profile.

**Split**

**Chapter 4: Alone  
**

Kowalski paced in the small space of he cage, constantly passing in front of Rico as the manic watched him. There was too much on his mind right now. Hans had done this on purpose, he was sure of it. How could he think about their means of escape when his mind was constantly drifting toward Rico, and what his anger towards the puffin could mean.

Genius. Frustrating, but genius.

"K'walski."

The strategist turned his eyes to his teammate, smiling weakly. "Yes, Rico?"

Rico tilted his head to the side. A frown turned his beak downward and the murderous look that had once been in his eyes was instead replaced with concern. How did he do that so quickly? Kowalski guessed it had something to do with his mental stability, or rather, his lack there of.

"Hans."

Sometimes it was difficult to decipher exactly what Rico was trying to say. Kowalski knitted his brows in thought before it clicked in his mind. "O-oh, no... Hans didn't get to me." That was a flat out lie. He laughed nervously. "I mean, what he said was ridiculous, right?"

There was a beat in which Rico simply stared.

"It was ridiculous... right?" Kowalski prompted again, nervously.

"Uh... yup." Rico smiled innocently. Or rather, as innocently as he could. It still looked a little creepy and unsettling, but that was just Rico.

Still, for some reason, that wasn't very convincing. Kowalski slowly stepped closer to be face to face with the shorter penguin. "Rico... Is what he said true?"

Rico hacked up the can of compressed air that Kowalski needed, holding it out to him. The intellectual peered down at it, uncertain. Rico was diverting his attention, for whatever reason, but... There was a point to it. They couldn't do this now. They had more important things to think about. Sighing, Kowalski took the can, peering around. "Now's as good a time as any..." He got the feeling that if they waited any longer, things would only get worse.

He leaned toward Rico, lowering his voice. "Our priority is to get out. We can't fight Hans and Blowhole's lobsters ourselves."

Rico gave a soft, dissatisfied growl.

"I know you don't want to run away, but it's just for now." The intellectual smirked. "We can find Skipper and Private and come back to kick their tails."

Rico seemed happy with that, smirking and nodding. Kowalski straightened himself out again, peering around. No eyes on them at that moment, as far as he could tell. He motioned for Rico to help him out. The weapons expert stood by the door of the cage while Kowalski climbed on his shoulders. He turned the compressed air can upside down and sprayed the lock. Liquid Difluoroethane hissed from out of the can, coating the lock and freezing it through.

"Rico, some sort of blunt-force object." One regurgitation and balancing act - on Kowalski's part - later, and Rico handed Kowalski a rock. "You literally have Rocks in your stomach?" Rico shrugged, causing Kowalski to almost lose his balance again. Once he regained himself, Kowalski shook his head. He gripped the rock firmly, slamming it against the frozen steel lock. There was a sharp crack, as well as a jolt up the intellectual's arm, before it snapped open.

Sirens screeched throughout the lair, bouncing off the walls and echoing down each tunnel to be sure that it would be heard.

Right, an alarm system. Kowalski should've guessed.

"Rico, go!"

Kowalski jumped down from his shoulders, sliding on his belly with the weapons expert right behind him. With the sirens, lobsters came pouring out from every direction, forcing them to a stop. Rico and Kowalski turned so that they were back to back, flippers raised and ready for attack. They'd been trying to avoid this. Perhaps he'd been hit harder on the head than he'd thought, having not considered this possibility. Kowalski's gaze snapped up as he saw metal doors beginning to slide shut around the lair. They had to get out and fast if they wanted any chance at all.

He had to fight and now or risk everything. Kowalski was reminded of the reptile house, alone and in the dark, panicking. He wouldn't wait for Rico to be pulled away again.

"Rico, cirrus formation!"

Rico grinned. He tumbled forward, straight into a group of lobsters with Kowalski right behind him. Startled, the lobsters jumped back for fear of being crushed by the weapons expert's brute force. Kowalski grabbed a lobster by the tail, using his solid claws as a weapon against the others. They were already getting overwhelmed, though as they got over their shock and began to charge. The doors creaked as they continued to close. Soon they'd be trapped again.

"Foolish Kowalski," Blowhole suddenly spoke from the other side of the room, watching with boredom. "Did you really think you could get away?"

Kowalski's gaze flickered toward him, eyes going wide. "Rico, hurry!"

Hans dropped down in front of Kowalski, smirking. Kowalski knew he didn't stand a chance. Hans was an even match for Skipper, and Skipper could still wipe the floors with the rest of the team put together. He took a step back, glancing toward the doors again. It was too late. They couldn't make it in time-

Kowalski yelped in surprise as Rico was suddenly in front of him, kicking Hans straight in the ribs and sending him stumbling back. The maniac grabbed Kowalski's flipper, planting his feet and using all of his strength to launch his teammate over the lobsters and toward the door. Kowalski yelped in surprised, hitting the ground ungracefully and skidding a little bit, right under the metal door before the opening became too thin to get through. It took him a moment to realize what had happened.

"Get the crazy one! As long as we still have one of them, Skipper will come!"

Kowalski lied down on his stomach, looking through the quickly closing gap. He saw Rico, struggling through the pod of lobsters and Hans moving in for an attack. "Rico!"

Rico glanced toward him, grinning psychotically before Kowalski was forced to pull back or get his beak crushed under the door. For a moment all he could do was stare at the metal door, panting heavily as everything processed. He clenched his flippers into fists, banging against the metal door. "Rico!" he repeated, shutting his eyes tightly. He knew there was nothing he could do, other than hope that the weapons expert didn't take too much damage. That would only happen if he kept fighting, right? If he let them catch him, they'd just take him back to the cage, right?

He had to get himself together or they'd come after him too... Kowalski took a deep breath, stepping back from the door. Rico... It was all he could think. Rico's in there, he couldn't leave. What about the penguin credo? Never swim alone. Rico was there. Rico...

He forced himself to turn around and run. He had to find his way out - he appeared to be in some sort of underground area - and find Skipper and Private. Then they could get Rico.


	5. Found

**Split**

**Chapter 5: Found  
**

Kowalski steadied himself against the nearest surface, a large rock. nestled among the sand. The world was spinning all around him, and he couldn't take it anymore. He hunched over, losing what little contents his stomach had. His throat burned. _Symptoms,_ he thought to himself. _Vomitting... dizziness... prolonged headache... fatigue... _He cringed as a seagull screamed overhead, closing his eyes and resting his head against the cool surface of the rock. _Sensitivity to sound..._

There was no doubt about it, he knew. His head injury was definitely a concussion. At first, it had been a minor one, it seemed, but the fight had aggravated it, particularly when he'd been thrown and crushed roughly into the floor, he could assume. He should be resting, but he knew he couldn't when there was no one around to wake him up every few hours.

And not while Rico is still a prisoner.

The thought caused him to clench his fists and he forced himself away from the rock, standing as straight as he could and continuing his hike. It was all that was on his mind right now. Rico. He knew the penguin credo: never swim alone. Why would he separate them when he knew it would only be more dangerous for him? Kowalski knew the answer to that already. Rico's hesitation in responding to his questions had told the intellectual enough. His protectiveness and sacrifice only reinforced that theory.

How far did Rico's feelings go? Was it just...?

Kowalski groaned softly as his thoughts tapered off on their own, he feet dragging. It was becoming far too big a burden, something as simple as thinking. His limbs were heavy and his eyelids even heavier. The intellectual grunted sharply in pain as he suddenly found himself lying belly-down on the sand. He forced himself to blink away the drowsiness as he looked to see what tripped him. Nothing.

_Loss of balance,_ he noted to himself, smiling wryly. He rested his chin in the sand, taking a deep breath. He just had to stay awake, keep his eyes open... He tried to make his mind keep working. _Thirteen squared is one-ninety-six. Times thirteen is... twenty-one-hundred... ninety-seven... Times 13 is... is... twenty-eight... thousand..._

Kowalski closed his eyes._  
_

**

* * *

**

"No one said anything about walking!"

Skipper closed his eyes in an attempt to push down the headache that had been threatening to come ever since they left the zoo. While Julien had proven to be quite useful last time... he was still a spoiled brat. And if Skipper had to hear one more word of complaint from the self-proclaimed Lord of the Lemurs, he may very well have to tape his mouth shut.

"Maurice, I demand that you carry me."

Maurice sent the king a dead-pan look. "I'm not doing any better off than you, your majesty. I don't think I can carry you."

"I can!" Mort chirped up happily, hopping up and down.

Julien seemed to consider before grimacing. "Mm, someone else. You, pansies! Carry me!"

"No," Mason answered simply, while Phil gave a very rude hand gesture that forced Skipper to cover Private's eyes, as Kowalski wasn't there to do it for him.

Marlene was getting rather irritated herself, but for other reasons. She tried to refrain from taking it out on Julien. "Skipper, where are we going?"

"We're going to follow the coastline," Skipper answered. "There's two things Blowhole needs: salt water and civilization. Usually he takes up some amusement park or aquarium."

The otter raised an eyebrow. "That predictable, is he?"

Private shrugged a little, joining the conversation. "We all have our habits."

"Private, don't defend the enemy!"

"Uh- y-yes Skippa. Sorry."

Marlene frowned as she listened to the exchange. Skipper was snappier than usual. Knowing that his teammates were in the hands of his rivals put him on edge. He'd always been all about the team; knowing that Kowalski and Rico were in danger because his enemies were trying to get to him must be torturous for him.

Shaking her head, she looked ahead again, ignoring the argument that once again started when Julien insisted he be carried. Her eyes narrowed. "Hey, Skipper-"

"What?" the leader demanded, narrowing his eyes as he turned his attention to Marlene.

She fought the urge to punch him for shouting at her. "Look!" she pointed down the coastline at a white and black form lying in the sand. The others followed her gaze. Private's eyes lit up.

"Skippa, I think that's Kowalski!"

Relief washed over the flat-topped penguin's features. "Let's go!"

He and Private rushed ahead before the others even had time to think. Skipper skidded in the sand next to Kowalski, looking him over. He was injured, that much was obvious. He turned the intellectual carefully onto his back, finding the problem immediately. That was a nasty bump on his head.

"Is he okay, Skippa?" Private asked, trying to remember everything that Kowalski had taught him about medicine, but was drawing a blank.

"I don't know," Skipper answered, furrowing his brows. "But he's breathing." He looked up as the others approached, some trying to catch their breath. "Simians!" he pointed at Phil and Mason. They had better medical knowledge than he did. "Take a look at Kowalski. Everyone else fan out and see if you can find Rico around here!"

Julien frowned, unimpressed with Kowalski's unconscious body. "Does that mean I have to work?"

Skipper narrowed his eyes, grabbing a near-by rock and hurling it at the ringtail, causing him to squeal rather girlishly and duck to avoid it. "Yes!" Wanting to avoid possible injury, Julien reluctantly followed Private.

Mason watched Phil's hands as the chimp looked at Kowalski and frowned. "Oh dear. He could have a concussion. Phil says we have to wake him up as soon as possible."

"I'll get some water," Maurice offered, hurrying toward the waves lapsing against the beach, snatching up a seashell along the way. He dunked it in the water, filling it with as much as it could carry before heading back. He was going to gently dab cold water on Kowalski's face, but Skipper grabbed the shell, dumping it all over the tallest penguin.

Kowalski gasped sharply, jerking up. He regretted the action immediately, curling in on himself and holding his head.

"Well, I guess that works," Maurice grumbled.

Kowalski looked up, startled to see the others standing over him, but his surprise quickly turned to relief and then panic. "S-Skipper! I- we have to-"

"Hold up, Kowalski," The leader told him, resting a flipper on his shoulder. "_We're_ not doing anything. The chimps say you might have a concussion."

"No," Kowalski tried to pull himself to his feet, only to be held down. "I mean, yes, I think I do, but- but Rico!"

That caught Skipper's attention. "Where is he?"

"He's still with Hans and Dr. Blowhole." Kowalski explained what had happened between their attempt to escape and that moment, including the location of the lair. The leader listened intently before standing up. "Simians, go get the others. Kowalski, staying here."

"I can't-"

"Yes you can!" Skipper snapped, turning to glare at the intellectual. "You're in no condition to fight. We've already got a plan. Maurice will stay with you and keep you awake. That's an order to both of you."

Maurice was secretly grateful for this. He certainly wasn't much of a fighter. Skipper turned to walk away, but Kowalski reached out, grabbing his flipper and stopping him. Skipper narrowed his eyes, looking at him again. They locked eyes for a moment, a silent battle.

Finally, Skipper sighed. "Kowalski, don't worry. I'm sure as hell not going to let anything happen to my weapons expert."

Kowalski reluctantly released him. The others began to gather around again and Skipper ordered them to move out. Kowalski rubbed his eyes, releasing a deep sigh. He still didn't want to stay there. How could he just sit by when Rico was still a prisoner thanks to him?

Maurice raised an eyebrow. "So, you and the psycho, huh?"

Kowalski looked up, startled once again. "Wh-what?"

Maurice shrugged. "I've been around enough to know it when I see it." The intellectual stared for a moment, unsure of what to say. Maurice sighed. "So, 'r we just going to sit here, or what?"

Kowalski smiled faintly. "You're not afraid of what Skipper'll do will you?"

"Well yeah, he's psychotic, but..." Maurice shrugged. "I get the feeling you're going to go anyways. Might as well make sure you're alright along the way." He helped Kowalski stand, narrowing his eyes. "But listen, if you start having problems-"

"I know."


	6. The Cavalry

**Split**

**Chapter 6: The Cavalry  
**

There was something unsettling about handling someone that was out of their mind. Since Kowalski's escape, Hans had been ordered to do one thing: empty Rico's stomach to make sure that he wouldn't be cause any more trouble. So far, Hans had gotten several items - from a paperclip to a flashlight to a _payphone_ - from the psycho, leaving cuts and bruises on the penguin in his wake. The old scar across Rico's beak had been re-opened, reaching almost to his eye and creating a sick illusion of bloody tears. There was also a slice across his chest, blood collecting around the wound and staining a good amount of white feathers red.

The entire time, Rico had been smiling. It was... disturbing to say the least, particularly because Rico's eyes never left his. There was no fear in them, none at all. Not even when he saw a blade moving toward him. It was driving Hans insane, and he was determined to wipe that smile off the psycho's face.

"How far," he spoke to the psycho, "do you think your _elskede_ got, hm?"

Rico blinked at the unfamiliar word.

Hans considered a moment, tapping his beak with the tip of a feather. "How you say... beloved?"

Realizing who they were talking about, Rico's eyes immediately narrowed, the smile falling away from his face.

Hans wasn't worried. He'd lost blood already and the lobsters were holding him back to the wall, too many for him to fight against. "That was a nasty knock in the head I gave him, wasn't it? He could not have gotten far..." Rico began to growl lowly. "He may as well have stayed here... We would have at least kept him alive..."

In a burst of energy, Rico shot forward, attempting to grab the puffin. Hans was startled, taking a step back, but the lobsters grabbed hold of Rico before he could do any damage, pinning him back to the wall. The weapons expert snarled, a sound that would've sounded ridiculous from a normal penguin, but from him it was almost bone-chilling.

Hans snorted softly, brushing imaginary dirt from his feathers. "Not so smiley now, are you?" Rico glared at him, but even now Hans could see he was getting weaker. However, Rico could've hit him with any object he could cough up. He seemed to be out. "Take him to his new cage. We are done for now."

The puffin turned away as Rico was dragged to the cage. He went to find Blowhole, spotting him in front of a large screen. "That penguin is psychotic," he grumbled.

"Yes, I'm aware," Blowhole responded lightly.

Hans sent him a glare. "How are you aware? You did not have to deal with him."

Blowhole glanced over his shoulder at the puffin. "Bitter, are we?"

"A little," Hans admitted, crossing his wings. "Why am I doing all the dirty work?"

"I'm a scientist," the dolphin pointed out. "Not a fighter. However, rest assured, I am doing plenty of work."

Curious, Hans moved closer to look at the screen. "Yes, your plan... will I actually get to hear about it now?"

"Soon," Blowhole promised cooly.

"Y'know, I do not like this-"

The lights went out.

It took the pair several seconds to realize what happened before they shook it off. Dr. Blowhole gritted his teeth angrily. "Check the prisoner!"

Hans rushed away, shooting down the hall and skidding into his room. He shivered as he heard a low, demented chuckle, knowing exactly who it came from. He took a step back, peering around despite not being able to see anything. "Now Skipper... surely you wouldn't be so cowardly as to attack your enemies in the dark?"

He tensed up as he felt a presence behind him. He whirled around, wings up for a fight. One wing made contact with a flipper and he narrowed his eyes, close enough to see the whites of Skipper's eyes in the dark. "Normally I'd agree with you. Right now, I'm just really pissed off."

The lights flickered on again thanks to Blowhole's back-up power source. Hans eyes flickered toward the cage that held Rico. Private was there, standing on Phil's shoulders, trying to pick the lock. Hans aimed a kick at Skipper's stomach and when the penguin dodged, he darted back toward them. He reached out to grab Phil's leg to trip him when Skipper grabbed his shoulder again, yanking him back. He growled, twisting around and aiming a strike at his side, only to have it dodged.

"Lobsters!" Hans shouted, angry that they hadn't already started attacking.

"Marlene!" Skipper yelled in response, startling Hans.

Private hopped off Phil's shoulders, leaving the lock to the chimp before hurrying to the center of the room in time to catch Marlene as she was... well... pushed from the air vent. Marlene clung on to him for a moment, eyes wide before realizing what happened. She glared at Skipper before straightening herself, looking around.

Wow. She had thought the penguins might have just been playing a game, but... wow.

Lobsters began pouring out and she realized what she was supposed to be doing. They moved towards her and Private and the smallest penguin sent her a smile. Marlene cleared her throat to gain their attention. "You guys might not realize this," she said, "but I'm an otter."

There was a brief silence.

She smiled. "Otter's main diet consist of mollusks and shellfish."

Skipper glanced back, smirking a the look of terror that crossed the lobsters faces. Getting beat up they could handle, but getting _eaten_? Not so much. And he could see that Marlene was enjoying this a little too much, scaring the lobsters back any time she stepped forward. "What else you got, Hans?" he asked, turning his eyes back to the puffin, only to receive a quick punch across the beak. He stumbled back and growled, narrowing his eyes.

"Skippa!" Private called, ready to help, but Skipper held up a flipper to stop him.

"Go check on ringtail!" he ordered. "I've got this."

* * *

Blowhole was getting frustrated with this game. The lemurs were quick and agile, hopping around from object to object before he had time to even think of catching them. He turned, narrowing his eyes as he saw Mort land on an expensive piece of equipment. The mouse lemur giggled, plopping into a sitting position and reaching for a wire. "Oo, what does this do?"

"Don't touch tha-"

Mort pulled it out, screaming out as he was electrocuted, but when the sparks died down, he seemed perfectly fine. He blinked slowly and giggled.

"I finally, your annoyingness can be being useful," Julien commented, standing on a set of controls. His tail flickered behind him as he peered around at the buttons beneath him, beginning to press random ones.

Blowhole growled in annoyance, pressing a button on his segway. More lobsters began to pour into that room. He had plenty. They went after Mort while Blowhole grabbed Julien by the tail, holding him up to look at him, holding him upside down. Julien grinned, reaching out and grabbing each side of the dolphin's face.

"You have lovely eyes."

Blowhole rolled his eyes, tossing the ringtail toward his group of lobsters. Julien yelped, but just before he hit the ground, Private caught him. The smallest penguin smiled as he put him down. "I'm making a lot of saves today," he noted before raising his flippers for a fight.

"I wouldn't count on another one," Blowhole responded. He moved to the controls. One the screen a map of the lair appeared with little blips that signified where each person was. He pressed a red button.

* * *

"Very noble of you," Hans said, playing it cool. He aimed a kick at Skipper, which was promptly dodge before he reached out, yanking a pipe from the wall and striking the leader clean across the side. Skipper grunted in pain, hitting the ground roughly. "But this can't be all of your team, Skipper."

He looked back up and smirked. "Nope."

Hans narrowed his eyes, moving to swing the pipe again when he felt a sharp tug. Looking back, he found Mason holding the end of it. He growled, trying to pull it back, but the game of tug-a-war was a little unfair. Mason had thumbs, after all. Hans released it quickly, moving away before Skipper could catch an opening. His eyes flickered toward the cage, as he heard a click.

When the cage unlocked, Rico pushed right past Phil, rushing to join the fight. He ran right past Skipper, grabbing Hans and slamming him back into the wall. Hans might've actually been scared if he didn't see the heavy rise and fall of Rico's chest.

"It appears that your weapons expert has been bleeding for a while, Skipper."

Skipper's confidence wavered for a second as he glanced at Rico. He saw it too. Rico was panting hard, even the simple action of running over there a struggle. He hated to do it, but... "Marlene, simians, it's time to get out of here-"

He cut off as he heard a sharp yelp. Glancing to the side, he saw Marlene. A metal ring had closed around her, trapping her arms before yanking her to the wall where a magnet was to hold her there.

"What in the name of Sherman's girdle-?" A ring dropped down, closing around him before he was yanked toward the wall too, followed quickly by Rico, Phil and Mason.

Blowhole rode in, his lobsters dragging in Private, Julien, and Mort, who were all trapped in a ring of their own. The lobsters stuck them to the magnet. Hans raised an eyebrow, brushing dirt from his feathers once more. "Strange," he noted. "But useful."

"Now," Blowhole said, "Trusting that there won't be any more interruptions, shall we move on?"


	7. Chaos

**Split**

**Chapter 7: Chaos  
**

"King Juli-" Kowalski's flipper shot over Maurice's mouth, silencing him before he could be heard.

Maurice cringed as he watched their friends take hits and, eventually, become trapped by Dr. Blowhole's invention. "We have to do something," he hissed quietly.

"I know," Kowalski responded, eyes fixed on the scene below. Everyone was okay, but he could see the blood on Rico... it scared him more than he cared to admit. "But we have to wait for an opening..."

"Will they be expecting you?" Maurice asked, furrowing his brows with worry. Down below he could see Julien flailing about as much as his restraints would allow. He was apparently very upset that his crown had fallen off.

"Yes, probably... They'll be ready for me..." Kowalski said, sighing. A thought clicked in his head and he turned his gaze to Maurice, smiling slowly.

Maurice wasn't sure he liked that look.

* * *

"Skipper, I hope you have a plan," Marlene hissed lowly.

"I'm working on it," Skipper responded. To tell the truth, he didn't have any idea what to do, at least not yet. However, he wasn't about to give up.

"Well Pengu-ins and company," Blowhole said, studying the group with a little smirk crossing his face. "Would you like to hear my plan?"

"I would," Hans grumbled, earning an exasperated look.

"Uh... sure?" Private said, kicking his feet a little. The magnet held him up a little, and he was a little too short to reach the ground, as was Mort.

"Wait," Julien spoke up, wriggling a little bit. "First can I be having a ring with, y'know, a little cushioning? Maybe some velvet, or cashmere?"

"No." Blowhole pressed a button on his segway. There was a pause as everyone waited for something to happen. Furrowing his brows in annoyance, the dolphin pressed it again. Nothing.

"What is wrong?" Hans demanded. "What about the plan?"

"I'm working on it," Blowhole snapped back at him. "Hold on, I have to check the wiring." He drove his segway to the wall where a large silver box was. He popped it open and- "Gah!" He fell back, hitting the ground while his segway rolled away a couple of feet.

Kowalski straightened himself, flippers raised for a fight. His head pounded still, but right now it didn't matter. He smiled as he heard the others cry out his name, clearly glad to see him. Even Skipper, who had ordered him to stay. Blowhole wriggled in an attempt to get up, but with no luck. Hans growled, dashing toward the tallest penguin to attack.

Kowalski ducked under his wing and moved to the side, avoiding each attack thrown at him. However, he didn't strike back, all concentration going into not getting hit and fighting off the horrible headache threatening to overwhelm him.

"You will never beat like this, Kowalski," Hans pointed out. "I am a better fighter."

"I don't have to beat you," Kowalski answered.

Behind Hans, Maurice was now at the silver box Kowalski had jumped out of. He was pulling away and tearing at every wire he could. The machinery in the lair was going crazy, flickering here and there and moving and dying.

"No!" Blowhole, with the help of the lobsters, managed to get on his segway again.

Maurice pulled a thick wire and suddenly the rings that held the others into place released. Skipper immediately jumped away, pointing a flipper in the direction of their opponents. "Rico, Marlene, Private, you handle the lobsters! Lemurs, keep Blowhole away from his controls. Simians, help Maurice, pull every wire you can. Tear this place apart!"

Everyone obeyed without question... except for Rico. He rushed toward Hans, tackling the Puffin to the ground with a heavy snarl. Kowalski jumped in surprise, eyes going wide.

"Rico!" Skipper snapped, but he knew it was no use. His gaze flickered toward Kowalski almost accusingly before he instead switched roles with Rico, going after the lobsters.

Kowalski shook his head - regretting it moments later - and forced himself to focus. He jumped at Hans as well to help Rico. They were both injured, but they had a strength in numbers and... well... it helped that Rico held more than a little grudge against Hans, now more than ever. There were sparks all around, caused by the arrangement of wires, but hardly anyone noticed them. They were caught up in the fight.

Hans threw Rico off of him, swiping his legs at Kowalski as the intellectual moved in for an attack. He tripped him, sending him to the ground, but just as he shot forward to strike again, he was grabbed around the neck and dragged to the ground. Rico climbed on top of him, throwing every ounce of strength he had left into pounding the puffin senseless. Hans raised his wings in an attempt to block him, but it was no use. Blocking the psycho's attacks was like trying to stop a flash flood with a bucket.

"Rico!" Kowalski pulled the shorter penguin off of Hans, flippers moving to his shoulders and forcing him to look at him. Rico panted heavily, and Kowalski was unsure if it was because of anger or because of rapidly weakening body. He still looked angry, murder in his eyes. "It's done, he's not getting up again for a while. C'mon, we have to help the others."

It took Rico a moment, but he snapped out of it. The weapons expert nodded quickly. Rico turned to help Private, Skipper, and Marlene in dealing with the lobsters. Kowalski peered around. Julien and Mort were pretty much jumping all over Blowhole, earning sounds that sounded suspiciously like screams of frustration. Maurice and the chimps were pulling everything apart, but he knew that wouldn't do it. Kowalski darted toward Blowhole, who had fallen off his segway again, hopping over him to climb up on the vehicle. He peered down at the buttons.

Blowhole had pressed the green button for his 'plan'. He was going over what the other possibilities might be when he spotted a purple button with a mushroom cloud on it... well, if that wasn't obvious he didn't know what was. He silently thanked Blowhole for being so simple-minded.

"Skipper! We have to get out of here!" Kowalski yelled, pressing the button.

"_SELF DESTRUCT IN THREE MINUTES."_


	8. Sacrifice

**Split**

**Chapter 8: Sacrifice  
**

"_SELF DESTRUCT IN THREE MINUTES."_

That caught everyone's attention. There was a pause in the fight, and it seemed like, for a moment, every heart in the room stopped. It only lasted for a second, though. Skipper grabbed a lobster by the tail, launching him toward a large group of the shellfish and knocking them down. "Everyone, it's time to move out!"

Kowalski hopped down from the segway. He quickly joined Rico beneath the air vent they had come through, preparing to give the others a boost, but Skipper nudged them out of the way. "You're both injured," he pointed out flatly. Private moved across from him. Kowalski blinked before nodding in understanding.

Skipper looked up at the others, who were confused an obviously a little panicked. "What're you waiting for?" he snapped. "Get over here!" Understanding dawned. Julien shoved Mort out of the way to run over.

"Save your King first!"

Private tried not to roll his eyes. "Just step on our flippers Julien, and we'll give you a boost."

"Oh." Julien raised an eyebrow. "You will be touching the royal feet?"

Marlene groaned in exasperation, shoving Julien toward them. Skipper and Private quickly grabbed him, launching him up into the air vent. Julien screamed, and there was a 'thunk' where he hit his head, but other than that, he was fine. Kowalski and Rico stood back, watching as the other took turns getting catapulted into the air vents. Skipper ordered them to just go, to not bother waiting up. Kowalski's internal clock was counting down. According to his approximations, they had two minutes and fifteen seconds left...

The tallest penguin nearly jumped out of his skin as he felt a sudden weight lean into him. Turning his gaze, he saw that it was Rico. The manic had finally become too weak with blood loss to hold himself up and had turned to using his teammate for support. Eyes wide, Kowalski wrapped his flippers around him, attempting to help him stay straight.

"Skipper-" It was terrifying to see Rico like this, who had always been the most resilient of them.

"Both of you get over here!"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Kowalski assisted Rico. Private and Skipper helped him up to the air vents, where he managed to grab on and heave himself up, though with some difficulty.

"Private, you're next," Skipper told the boy. Private nodded, stepping on Skipper's folded flippers so that the leader could launch him up toward the vents.

Skipper turned his eyes to Kowalski, his gaze hard. "Look after both of them, you got it?"

Kowalski's eyes widened slightly. "Wh-what?"

Skipper grabbed him and without warning, launched him up to the vents. Gasping in surprise, Kowalski quickly grabbed onto the open ledge, nearly losing his grip. He hefted himself up and peered down. Realization hit him. Even if they were to create a chain, they wouldn't be able to reach Skipper below. And according to his internal clock, they only had a minute and twenty two seconds left.

"C'mon, we have to get Skippa," Private said, peering down. Both of them could see the leader below.

Skipper sent them a smile and saluted.

Private blinked. "What's he-" then it seemed to hit him again. "Skippa! C-C'mon, we can-"

"Get going!" the leader ordered. "I'm not letting any of my team get hurt again."

"Skippa-"

"That's an order!"

Kowalski suddenly felt cold, his stomach twisting up in knots. They didn't have time for this. A minute and four seconds. He grabbed Private, forcing him away from the opening and started sliding on his stomach down the slick pathways.

"What're you doin' K'walski? We have to go get him!"

The tallest penguin ignored him. They didn't have time to argue about this. Skipper knew what he was doing, and if they didn't hurry, they'd all get caught in it too. Then it would be for nothing.

* * *

Marlene cringed as the explosion went off, the shockwave knocking her, as well a couple others down. Her eyes widened and she peered around. Maurice, Julien, Mort, Mason, and Phil. Everyone except the penguins. Her heart clinched as she looked back. The others must've realized the same thing because what had been excited chatter only a few minutes ago suddenly turned to absolute silence. Not even the obnoxious king had something to say.

"Did they..."

"We're here," Kowalski spoke up flatly. He and Private were supporting Rico on each side as they emerged from the surrounding rock area. Each of them seemed to have an extra bit of grime on them that they'd probably earned from being so close to the explosion.

Relief seemed to spread like a wildfire. Mort screamed a 'yay', clapping his hands together excitedly.

Julien shoved him down and out of the way, a huge grin on his face. "Now you see! I am the bestest secret agent alive! I got everyone out safely."

Marlene shoved him away. "You were the first one to get out!"

Phil signed something and Mason furrowed his brows, peering around. "I say... you're right Phil. Where's Skipper?"

Silence fell once again. Kowalski felt tears sting his eyes, but he held them back, carefully lowering the nearly unconscious Rico to the ground. He pressed his flippers to his wounds, trying to slow the bleeding. "Private, find me something to wrap this up in," he ordered quietly.

Private nodded shortly and turned to go, not bothering to say a word.

Julien blinked slowly. "Wait a minute, you have not been to answering the question. Where is the bossy one?"

He was met with silence.

"As your king, I demand that you be telling me now!"

The harsh glare that Kowalski sent him caused him to flinch, taking several steps back. Maurice grabbed the king's wrist. "C'mon King Julien, why don't we go find some food?" The ringtail hesitated, clearly not happy with how this was turning out, but he nodded, allowing his adviser to lead him away with Mort at his heels as usual.

There was a long, awkward pause. Mason cleared his throat. "Y'know, it _is_ getting late. I think Phil and I can go find some things to whip up a shelter for us..." They quickly hurried off, neither knowing how to offer any sort of comfort to the broken team.

"Kowalski..." Marlene started, but she wasn't sure how to finish it.

Kowalski swallowed thickly, looking up at her. He could see the tears gleaming in her eyes too. He sighed softly. "He wanted to make sure we got out..."

Private returned, carrying what appeared to be an old t-shirt that some human had left behind. Kowalski began tearing it into stripes and tying them together, using them to carefully wrap Rico's wounds and stop any further blood loss. Leaning down, he pressed a would-be ear to the manic's chest, listening closely. He could still hear the soft thumps of his heart. They were a little irregular, but he knew that he would be okay. Thank god... One was enough.

Marlene sat down, drawing her legs to herself. "That sounds like him..."

Private sniffled softly and Kowalski held out his flippers. Private immediately latched onto him like the child he still was. What would the team do without their Skipper?


End file.
